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M67 Star Cluster

M67 Open Cluster

This is one of the oldest known star clusters. It's stars are about 4 billion years old - about the same age as our sun. These stars also have a chemical composition that is very similar to our Sun. Star clusters do not usually last this long because the stars gradually escape the gravitational bond of the cluster. This is due to gravitational disturbances from other stars, interstellar clouds, and their differential orbits around the galaxy. M67 contains over 500 stars spanning 12 light years. It's distance is approximately 2800 light years in the direction of the constellation Cancer.